Setting up your e-commerce site with Shopify is a great way to sell stuff online. If you want to start selling something, you must first decide if you're selling a large variety of small items (dropshipping) or specialize in selling just a few select products or services (e.g., outdoor apparel, custom cakes).
You can choose to have a selective range of items that all share a theme (i.e., custom cakes) or could go with something as general as 'clothing' or 'apparel.' Once you've settled on where you're selling from. What you're going to sell, the next step is deciding which e-commerce platform you'll use for your online store.
For this Substack, I'm going to focus on Shopify. Don't worry; I'll also write set-up posts for other platforms in the future. Also, I do not have any connections with Shopify; I think it's one of the most accessible platforms. Setting up an e-commerce site with Shopify is easier than you think.
What is the difference between a free trial and paid version of Shopify?
With the free trial, you can test out Shopify's features and explore how they can help you build your business. You get full access to Shopify's features and functionality, including customizing your store, adding products, and setting up payment methods.
You can sign up for a free 14-day trial on the Shopify site. Just enter your email address, choose a password, and then follow the prompts to create your store. After this, you'll be able to start customizing it to fit your brand.
Once the trial is over, you'll need to decide whether or not you want to subscribe to one of Shopify's paid plans. You won't lose any of the work you've done so far. All of the information about your store will stay in your account for 90 days after the trial ends (this includes sales reports, orders, etc.). If you decide to upgrade at that point, everything will continue from there as expected.
Why should you use Shopify?
Choosing a platform for your e-commerce site is a big decision. There are dozens of options, and it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. I’ve done the research, and I think Shopify is the perfect fit for most small businesses.
Here are my top 5 reasons why:
It’s easy to use.
You can manage your business from any computer or mobile device.
It’s affordable.
It integrates with most of the major e-commerce platforms and payment processors.
If you need help, many experts can assist you with setup, design, marketing, sales, etc.
How to sign up for Shopify
Shopify is a streamlined e-commerce platform that lets you set up and run your online store with more efficiency and ease than any other software. This tutorial will walk you through setting up your account.
Step 1: Go to https://www.shopify.com/signup to sign up for Shopify.
Step 2: Fill out the form on this page. Use your real name, but make sure to choose a secure password you're unlikely to forget (you can also write it down somewhere safe if you need to! Just don't show it to anyone).
Step 3: You'll be asked to provide a store name—this will be how people find your website, so think of something catchy and easy to remember! Then click "Enter my store."
And that's it! You're set up on Shopify and ready to start selling online.
Choose a design theme that fits your style and brand
There are hundreds of thousands of themes available for Shopify, so it can be daunting to find one right for you. However, there are a few questions you can ask yourself when you have a theme in mind that will help you decide if it's the right one for your business.
What is my company's focus? If it's the product or service itself, choose a theme that puts your products front and center on the homepage. If it's the story behind your company, then select a theme that gives you plenty of room to tell that story.
You want customers to know what they're getting when they buy from you, so figure out what aspect of your business is most important and make sure it stands out on your website.
Who is my target audience? If you're selling craft beer, don't use an elegant, minimalist theme—it'll clash with your product. On the other hand, if you're selling high-end shoes, don't use a theme with bright colors and animated gifs—you risk turning away customers looking for something more sophisticated.
Add a logo, fonts, and colors to your store
Head over to your Shopify admin dashboard and click on "Online Store" in the left-hand menu. Then, click on "Themes," and choose the theme you'd like to use for your site. Now it's time to customize!
If you want to add a logo, click on "Customize Theme" in the upper-right corner of the theme preview window. Scroll down until you see the "Logo" section, where you can upload your logo file.
If you want to change fonts and colors, click on "Edit HTML/CSS" in the upper-left corner of the theme preview window.
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